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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cue — a signal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cap — a lid
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. cap — of ice
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wound — an injury
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. cap — a hat
  17. can — a tin
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. can — a tin
  24. bass — low music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com